Lawn mower



, sept. 9, *1930. n.0. CLARK 1,175,421

LAWN HOVER Filed Aug. 8, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 9, 1930. n, o. cuen LAWN MOWER s mmwsrmzv 2 I. I.; a

Filed Aug. B, 1928 Sept. 9, 1930.

` R. O. CLARK LAWN MOWER Filed Aug. 8; 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 9, 1930 RALPH OTTO CLARK, OF ESTHERVILLE, IOWA` LAWN MownriA Application filed August 8, 19.28. VSerial No. 298,144.

`This invention relates to a lawn mower, and the object is to provide a lawn mower ot simple andv durable construction and wherein is embodied a band cutter of flexible steel traveling continuously in one direction in lieu of the usual reciprocating sickle bar or revolving knives.

In the drawing i Figure 1 is an outside end elevation; @Figure 2 is an inside elevation of one end of the machine, a portion of the gear housing being broken away, and the roller and guard rail being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a frontal elevation, a portion of the gear housing at the right side being broken away;

Figure 4 is a plan view, a portion of the I gear housing at the right side being broken away; 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of one `end of the machine, portions of the sprocket and' gear housing being broken away, as Well as the upper portion ofthe drive wheel; n

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail ,of a portion of the band cutter;

Figure 7 is anenlarged detail of a portie-nv of the guard rail; l

Figure 841s an enlarged detail of oneof the drive shafts and clutch mechanisms a employed at each side of the machine;l

Fi ure 9 is an enlarged detail of the adjusta le roller. I

The mower comprises two relatively large drive wheeels 1 rigidly set at the ends of the axle shaft 2. Two worm wheels 3 are also rigidly set upon lthe axle shaft 2 slightly spaced from the drive wheels 1. The teeth 35 of the wheels 3 are pitched at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees and in the same direction, that'is 'to say, the extended axes of the teeth would be parallel. This is, of` course, necessary that the teeth may cooperate in 'driving the band cutter in one direction. Suitable housingsl 4 are provided for the wheels 3. A U shaped handle loop 5` having the rings 6 at its ends, is loosely attached to the shaft 2 between the wheelsnl and 3, by passing the shaft through the rings. A handle 7 lis extended from the loop 5. A cutting assembly 8 is supported in front of -tion along its forward edge.

guard rail 9 which is supported in proper i position at the front of the machine by two arms'lO secured at one end as shown at llto the rear edge of the rail and angularly extended up to the shaft 2 to which they are loosely connected by the rings or ierrulcs 12. The rear margin ofthe rail4 9 is raised at the upper face as shown at 13 to form the bolster or support or guidefor the band cutter, as will be detailedlater.

Journal brackets 14 are vextended up at either end of the rear margin of the rail 49 in alignment with the worm `wheels 3. these bracket-s having the journal rings 15 at their upper ends. Tubular stub shafts 1G are journalcd through these rings, the latter i turning in grooves 17 out in the former, so as to lock the shafts against any longitiulinal sliding movement. ends of the shafts 16 are rigidly mounted thc sprockets 18 having the teeth or prongs 19 extended radially, Vthe arrangement being such thatthe sprockets 1 8 are adapted to above the ends of the rotate innncdiatel leur of the elevated guides guard rail 9 and c 13,y ,The guard rail 9 is provided with the forwardly extended gua-rds 20 in/soaced relaiin' endless band cutter 21, ot flexible strip steel or the like, having the cutting teeth 22 formed along its forward edge,y and a series of sprocket holes 23 along its'rcar margin for engaging the prongs 19 vof the sprockets 18, is trained over the said sprockets and along upon the top side'of the rail 9 in front ot the raised guide 13, and suitable circular housings 21 f are mounted, over the sprockets 18, the housings being open at their undersides as shown at 25 for the ingressand egressoi the band cutter, and being secured to rail 9as shown at QG. f

`Arcuatc guidcsQT` channeled at their undersidcs and having' a series of' l'ollcrs QS/ journaled therein between the flanges 29, are extended from the upper margin ot the opcnings 25 of the housings Q4 inwardlyv over the ends of the rail 9 and have their ends properly anchorcd to the said housings and thc said railas shown at 30. These guides 2T serve Upon the forward the ends of the to depress the hand cutter 21 onto the rail 9 adjacent the housings 21 and hold the cutter in proper operative. position at the topy of the said rail. The rear circular edges of the stuh shafts 1G are formed with a plurality of clutch teeth 31. Drive shafts 32 are journaled through brackets 233 depending' from the lower sides of the housings -1 and are suitably locked against longitudinal movement. The forward ends of the shafts 32 are projected into the tubular shafts 16, and worms 31 are formed upon the rear ends of these drive shafts 32. the said worms heil-1g placed in mesh with the teeth 35 of the worin wheels I1- and being ot' a suitable pitch to operatively function when impelled by the teeth of the wheels 3. Clutch-,sleeves 3G each having a plurality of clutch teeth 3T for coacting with the teeth 31 of the shafts 16 are slidahlv mounted upon the forward ends of the shafts $52 and prevented from rotating hy l\'e vs 21S in the usual manner. L-'shaped lock slots Ell are formed through the walls of the sleeves 3G for enacting with studs 40 s l.ated in the shafts 3Q. to hold the sleeves 36 in their retracted position when desired, with the teeth 37 out of engagement with the teeth 3l. Coil springs 4l are braced between the sleeves 36 and the brackets 33 for holding the sleeves 36 forwardly with the teeth 37 in mesh with the teeth 3l. when desired.

In operation, the drive wheels 1 and worm wheels 3 rotate the worin shafts 32, which in turn rotate the sprockets 18 and cause the hand cutter 21 to travel steadily in one direction along;r and over the. rail 9, thereby 'cutting the grass as same passes between thelteeth 22. 1t will 'be noted that the teeth 22 at the upper and lower sides of the baud cutter 21 will travel in opposite directions in the operation of 4the machine,` thereby facilitating the cutting action of the machine. A roller 4:2 is extended across in front of the wheels 1 and a shaft 43 running through this roller has its ends jour-naled at 41 in the lower ends of the angular brackets 45, the upper arm of which is slotted longitudinally at 46. Set screws 47 are passed through these slots into the under sides of the ari'ns 10, whereb;v the roller may he adjusted up or down upon the arms 10, for lowering or raising the cutting assembly 8 for short orrlong cutting of the grass.

While l have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as liest to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. ln a device of the kind described, an axle shaft. drive wheels at the end thereof, gear wheels upon the axle shaft, a guard rail supported in front of the drive Wheels, tubular stub shafts journaled at the ends of the guard rail transversely of the same, clutch teeth upon the rear ends of the stub shafts, sprocket wheels secured to the said stub shafts over the guard rail, an endless band cutter trained over the sprockets along the guard rail` drive shafts operatively engaging the gear wheels at their rear ends and journaled in the aforesaid stub shafts at their forward ends, spring set clutch sleeves slidahlv mounted on thedrive shafts to turn therewith. complementary clutch teeth upon the forward ends of the clutch slecves'adapted to engage the teeth upon the stub shafts, the Said clutch sleeves having also L-shaped lock slots through their walls, and studs upon the said drive shafts to engage the said lock slots.

2. In a device of the kind described, an axleI shaft, drive wheels on the end thereof, gear wheels on the said axle shaft, a guard rail supported in front of the drive wheels, an upwardly extended holster along the rear edge of the guard rail, stuh shafts journaled transversely across the ends of the guard rail` sproc (et wheels secured to the stub shafts over the guard rail, an endless band cutter trained over the sprocket wheels along the guard rail, drive shafts operatively connecting the said gear wheels on the axle shaft and the stuh shafts on the guard rail, arcuate guards adjustably secured to the bolster on the guard rail, adjacent the ends thereof, and rollers `iournaled on the undersides of the Said guides in engagement with the hand cutter to prelss the same downward adjacent the guard rai In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RALPH OTTO CLARK. 

